Toubkal Climb - Long Weekend

Our tour of Morocco starts in the Red City. With its dusty rooftops, maze-like streets and bustling souks, Marrakech encompasses the essence of Morocco. Head to the medina and people watch while you sip a mint tea in Jemaa el-Fna (the main square) or visit the Jardin Majorelle, just a short walk from our hotel. Alternatively, you might like to relax in the hotel's rooftop swimming pool before our adventure begins. There are no activities planned for today, so you're free to arrive at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive at Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK), which is around a 20 -minute drive from our hotel. Our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 6 pm for a welcome meeting and then an optional dinner. If you arrive later, they'll catch you up as soon as possible.

Leaving the city behind, today we'll drive south towards the craggy peaks and plunging valleys of the Toubkal Massif. Crossing the Haouz Plain, we'll pass through the small town of Asni, from where the road begins to climb towards the foothills of the Massif. Below us, the valley of the Oued Rhirhaia stretches out into the distance and small villages cling to the sides of the steep hills. We'll meander our way to the village of Imlil (1,740 metre/5707 feet), where our adventure on foot begins. We'll leave our vehicle and join our mountain guide to begin our trek, heading along the Mizane Valley. First, we'll make our way towards the village of Aremd (1,900 metre/6230 feet) and the shrine of Sidi Chamarouch. The largest village in the valley, Aremd is a charming patchwork of farms, gites and pathways and is home to the local Berber community who've spent generations producing corn, potatoes, and walnuts on the land. Continuing across the flood plain, our route takes us along mule tracks and up into the rocky cliffs above the valley. Crossing the river, we'll come to the pastoral shrine of Sidi Chamarouch, which attracts tourists and Muslims alike (although only Muslims are allowed to cross the stone bridge to visit the marabout shrine itself). The village sits beside a tranquil waterfall and is a jumble of clustered mountainside houses and pathways. From here, we'll continue our trail, climbing steadily up to the snowline and our camp (3206 metre/10520 feet). Tonight, we'll camp at the base of Toubkal with spectacular views down to the valley. Two-man tents are provided with sleeping mats (you will need to bring a sleeping bag with you) and there is a dining tent and basic toilet. You can buy drinks and snacks at the nearby refuge, where showers are also available for a small fee. Today's walk covers 11 kilometres/6.8 miles and is graded as challenging. It has a total ascent of 1,460 metres/4790 feet. We expect it to take around 5 hours.

Setting off early, this morning we'll make our way to the summit of Jebel Toubkal (4,167 metre/13670 feet). Our route takes us up the south cirque, a steep climb across scree and rock that will lead us to the Tizi n'Toubkal saddle (3,975 metre/13040 feet), just a short walk from the summit. The going is tough up here and we'll negotiate scree fields and carpets of boulders - the altitude will also get harder to handle but the vistas make it all worthwhile. The Roman scholar, Pliny once described the Atlas as 'the most fabulous mountains in all of Africa' and from up here, it's easy to see why. On a clear day, the panorama takes in the Marrakech Plain and the High Atlas Mountains and stretches as far south as the Anti-Atlas and the Sahara. Once we've marvelled at the view, we'll retrace our steps back down the mountain to our camp at the base of Mount Toubkal. The afternoon is free. Today's walk covers 4.5 kilometres/2.80 miles and is graded as challenging. It has a total ascent and descent of 960 metres/3150 feet. We expect it to take around 6 hours.

Today, we'll retrace our steps back to Imlil (1,740 metre/5707 feet) and from there, we'll drive back to Marrakech. We'll have free time to explore the Red City and take in the pandemonium of Jemaa El-Fna (the main square) or delve into the spice-scented souks to pick up a souvenir to end the trip. There's the option to take a walking tour of the souks, stopping by the Koutoubia Mosque and tower, with a local guide. Alternatively, you might like to get lost alone in the Gueliz (the modern, French-built city) or the Medina (the old city). Today's walk covers 11 kilometres/6.80 miles. It has a total descent of 970 metres/3183 feet. We expect it to take around 5 hours.

Our tour of Morocco ends at our hotel in Marrakech. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you need to depart from Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK).